Shortest pillion outing ever?

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Dusty · #1 Post by **Dusty** » Sat Jun 05, 2010 5:07 pm

Two weeks ago, I took a family friend out on the pillion of the Triumph. She had only ridden pillion a couple of times and never with me, so I took it easy but soon found that she was a relaxed, able passsenger. I built the pace up and she didn't flinch, so we had an enjoyable 40 mile jaunt. I had never had a passenger on the Falco, so I suggested we tried that this morning. I did expect her to find it less comfortable due to the higher seat and pegs, so again I took it easy, just a whiff of throttle and no excessive lean, and stopped after half a mile to check she was happy. Just as well I did. "I hate this. It's horrible. I'm scared I'm going to fall off the back. Please go back." Obviously I did as asked although I was rather taken aback by the extreme reaction, especislly as I had been so gentle in anticipation of it feeling so different for her. Despite this, she declared she'd be happy to get back on the Triumph and go for a good long run. Has anyone else experienced this with he Falco? I have oftern wondered how safe the back of a sports bike like an R1 felt because they look really uncomfortable but the Falco setup is nowhere near that.

#2 Post by **Kwackerz** » Sat Jun 05, 2010 5:16 pm

Define: just a whiff of throttle

Jadaris · #3 Post by **Jadaris** » Sat Jun 05, 2010 5:51 pm

I used to go behind pete before I got mine, I always found it comfortable but held onto him and only once thought I was going off the back other than that was pleasant riding behind him in that position

Falken · #4 Post by **Falken** » Sat Jun 05, 2010 7:13 pm

Half a mile is a long way, compared to what my wife went when she tried pillion for the first and last time.
She said she'd like to try it when I first got the Falco, borrowed all the gear for her, and set off from home.
I'd only got about 150 yds down the road, not even around a bend, when she said stop.
I stopped, she said she didn't like it and to turn around and take her back.
Told her when we got back that it couldn't be that bad or she would have walked back for that distance.
That was over 9 years since, and she's never been anywhere near the bike since.

Yipppppeeeeeeeeeeee

D-Rider · #5 Post by **D-Rider** » Sat Jun 05, 2010 7:36 pm

I take my sons on the back (youngest is now 19). They were happier when I got one of those grippy Triboseat covers.

Now they are bigger they don't like long journeys as they find it too cramped.

HisNibbs · #6 Post by **HisNibbs** » Sat Jun 05, 2010 9:13 pm

My wife and three daughters all enjoy going on the back of the Falco. Only the youngest (13) has done more than 150 miles or so at a time though. i was riding with her on the back recently and when healed over through the turns I felt some thing touching my elbows. Looking down i realised it was her crash hat. She's taken to hanging off motoGP style!

Wife enjoys it if we don't go on the back road routes. I do often use the Ventura rack when I'm two up as that proides a little extra security for pillions. Less likely to loose one off the back with the sissy bar.

Dusty · #7 Post by **Dusty** » Sun Jun 06, 2010 6:52 am

Interesting responses; I've never been on the back seat so I wasn't sure just how it felt. However, there's no way she's going back on the Falco; her mind is made up. Dead keen for a ride on the Trumpet though, so at least I know it's not me that's the problem. I've never had a scared pillion before so it was a bit of a shock.

Noeli0 · #8 Post by **Noeli0** » Sun Jun 06, 2010 7:33 am

Oh Dear, this doesn’t bode well for me, I've just sold my Fazer (nice big comfortable pillion seat) for (hopefully soon) a Falco.
The missus is new to being on bikes and it defiantly helps with brownie points if she likes the bike as well.
Mmmm may be when I get one I should keep the rear pod on and not mention a rear seat

DavShill · #9 Post by **DavShill** » Sun Jun 06, 2010 3:02 pm

I guess it depends whatthe pillion is used to. My wife finds the Falco comfy although she's used to riding high up as we had Gixers for a few years before.

Aladinsaneuk · #10 Post by **Aladinsaneuk** » Sun Jun 06, 2010 4:33 pm

i have told jadaris that she is taking me pillion - to help with her confidence....

this could be very entertaining - me at 13 odd stone, her at 8...

D-Rider · #11 Post by **D-Rider** » Sun Jun 06, 2010 5:21 pm

I absolutely hate riding pillion - the most frightening experience there is .... if you ride yourself.
Nobody takes the same lines as you, nobody brakes the same as you, nobody anticipates the same as you (and you don't know whether they have anticipated), nobody positions themselves on the road the same as you .... the list goes on.

I'm not suggesting they do it any worse .... just different is scary enough ...

Chabby · #12 Post by **Chabby** » Sun Jun 06, 2010 5:31 pm

My wife has never been into bikes so she's never been on the Falco.

My daughter loves my old GPz 750 but has only been on the Falco the once and won't get on it again.

She says its too uncomfortable - perched too high up and her knees under her chin. Not scary, just uncomfortable.

k1w1boy · #13 Post by **k1w1boy** » Sun Jun 06, 2010 7:52 pm

...completely agree with D on the rider-as-pillion feeling: a good mate visited me in Japan where I lived in a county east of Tokyo for 3 years. Since he taught me how to ride and had years more experience than I did at the time, I didn't hesitate to agree when he offered to pillion me, on my bike (a 400cc, shaft drive <!> intruder) into central Tokyo .... I didn't quite ask to take the train back home, but I was close!

A female friend, a complete noob with bikery, asked for a lift to mine in essex from Kings X station in London. I gave her my usual trolley-dolly pre 'flight' speech and she still got to mine with blistered knuckles (she literally held on 'wrong'). Can't ever see myself learning to drive a car ...

markymark · #14 Post by **markymark** » Mon Jun 07, 2010 9:38 am

No problems here. My wife finds the pillion OK, maybe a bit higher and more exposed than the confy sofa seat on the Thundercat we had before....

Falcopops · #15 Post by **Falcopops** » Mon Jun 07, 2010 11:31 am

I took Mrs Falcopops on a few pillion rides to various weekend outings on the Falco and she found the grab rails hard to use because of the angle.

However a commute to central London on my old GSX1100 in the rain was the last time she ever got on the bike. Nothing to do with the bike, apparently my riding was the issue. I must admit to aspiring to despatch rider standards when commuting and I think this might have been the problem.